


A Soul Connection

by sugarblossom



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Papa Kukui, Platonic Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-03 08:02:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21176096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarblossom/pseuds/sugarblossom
Summary: Ever since their battle against Tapu Koko, Ash and Pikachu had felt complete with each other. Is it from winning a league, or something else?





	A Soul Connection

After the Alola league ended, Ash felt really satisfied with his life. He dropped his backpack onto the sand and took a deep breath of the salty air while Pikachu did the same, both of them smiling as they faced the picturesque sunset.

“I’m glad we stayed here, Pikachu,” Ash mumbled, opening his arms as if hugging the golden dripping sky, enveloping the Alolan air within his soul. 

“Pikapi, pika-pika?” Pikachu gestured to himself, chirping happily.

Ash scratched Pikachu’s head, ruffling the fur between his ears. “You feel it too, right? I can’t believe winning against Professor Kukui could be so fulfilling!” Pikachu patted Ash’s cheek, cooing sharply. “Wha- don’t call me that, you dusty little doofus! It’s not like you have any other explanation!” They both giggled, before sighing and giving each other a fist bump. “You did amazing though, thank you.” Suddenly, Pikachu tilted his head, ears twitching as a large black portal appeared before them. Neither Ash or Pikachu even bothered to move an inch as the edge of the portal cracked, exposing Giratina’s head. 

“Pika?” Pikachu hopped down next to Ash, fur bristling and tail flicking up and down.

Ash chuckled, “Ok, I get it, I get it! Hello, Giratina, can we help you?” Giratina glanced around the beach, before staring at Pikachu. At Pikachu’s tilted head, Ash deduced, “You want us to follow you?” Looking strangely content, Giratina nodded. Ash and Pikachu glanced at each other, a myriad of similar thoughts running through their heads.

Pikachu nodded, “Pika, Pikapi.” Grinning, Ash scooped Pikachu up into his arm, tickling his belly. They hopped onto Giratina’s head, heading into the Reverse World.

“Wow, it’s been a while since we came here!” Ash exclaimed, gently grasping Giratina’s horns as they drifted through the alternate dimension, weaving between pillars and crystal shards. “Quite different than when we had our little pep-talk during our last battle, huh?” Pikachu nodded, both of them knowing exactly what he means.

“Pikapika, chu!”

Ash rolled his eyes. “No, Pikachu, it was completely normal.” Pikachu pouted, tail covering Ash’s face. “Pft, I was just joking!” They stuck their tongues out at each other, the corners of their lips drawn back.

“I’m the first one to congratulate you two, aren’t I?” Ash and Pikachu both stared down at Giratina, tilting their heads in unison.

“Was that you?” Wordlessly growling, Giratina bobbed his head, as well as his passengers, up and down. “Cool!”

After a moment of silence, Giratina sighed in exasperation and stopped flying through his universe. “Aren’t you two going to ask why? Or even how?” Ash and Pikachu met eyes, shrugging. “...Well, it’s a gift.” Ash lazily nodded, before double-taking Giratina’s words.

“Wait, what.” Pikachu had the same reaction, waving his arms around and nearly smacking Ash in the face with his tail again.

Giratina gave a deep rumbling laugh, floating around the rock pillars like he was playing the role of a roller coaster for Ash and Pikachu. “Congratulations, you two finally realized.”

Ignoring the Renegade pokemon’s teasing, Ash sputtered, “A gift for what? Winning a league?” Pikachu gave a single chirp, causing Ash to deadpan at him. “Oh come on, you know what I mean.” Pikachu squeaked in resignation as Ash poked his cheeks.

“...You both know that’s not quite true, hm?” Giratina swooped to the left, and Ash naturally supported Pikachu’s right side. “It’s a gift for aura bonding with your Pikachu. I thought you understanding him would be a clear indication.”

Ash blinked. “But we’ve always understood each other.” Not even a second later, Ash and Pikachu both yelled, “Aura bonding?!” 

Giratina smirked, tail flicking. “The most powerful and permanent connection between two living creatures’ souls. Tapu Koko took a gamble with that Z-move, but it worked out.”

“...It was a test.” Ash and Pikachu both groaned, shaking their heads. “What was the point? We’re already best friends.” Ash froze, gasping as Pikachu’s brown stripes turned blue, as if slowly bleached. 

“The point is, you two are platonic soulmates. Having your souls bound assures your relationship and happiness.” Pikachu gave a satisfied squeak, snuggling closer to Ash.

Ash watched two z-marks appeared on Pikachu’s cheeks, before staring into Pikachu’s amber eyes. “I don’t know what that means, but it sounds awesome!” Pikachu’s ears twitched as he narrowed his eyes at Ash and crossed his arms. “Hey, don’t give me that look.”

“Pipipi-pika.”

“Then you’re Mustard.”

“Pika-chu-pi!”

“Small fries.”

“Pikapi, pi-pika.”

“Cold bowl of soup.” Pikachu facepalmed, before yelling at Ash, waving his hands around.

“You are kind of ignorant-” Giratina agreed.

“Pika! Pikapi pi!” Pikachu yelled at Giratina, who winced at his loud voice.

Ash chuckled, stroking Pikachu’s head. “Thanks?”

“Well, you know each other best. That’s kind of the point of the aura bond.” Ash’s eyes go wide as he nodded, content with the explanation. Giratina created a portal to the pokemon world, nodding towards it. “Meaning, it changes nothing. It’s just nice to see you two again.”

“We feel the same way,” Ash murmured, patting Giratina’s head. Pikachu wriggled, mock-glaring at Ash. “No, Pikachu, I’m going to miss Giratina more.” Giratina sweatdropped as Pikachu argued back, causing Ash to flick his ear.

“Pikapi!”

“Pikachu!” Ash teased. Before Pikachu could continue bicker, Ash rolled his eyes. “Blah blah blah just admit I’m right-”

“Ok, kids, time for you to go home.” Ash and Pikachu muttered to themselves, but clung to each other, yelping, as Giratina tossed them out. “Oh yeah, you can aura boost each other now as you did in battle!” The two landed on the sand, eyes sparkling with the same intensity as the portal closed behind them.

“Did you hear that?” Pikachu cooed, giving Ash a thumbs up as Ash stroked his back. The two of them shared identical grins as they nuzzled cheeks. “Guess you’re stuck with me now!”

“Pi-chu-pikapi!”

Ash snarked back, “Oh, I didn’t notice. Tell me more.”

“PIKAPI!”

“Love you too~” Ash let Pikachu run up his shoulder, scratching between his ears while the last traces of warmth dissipated from the air. Even as the darkness engulfed the region, the two still stood there, not letting each other go.

“Ash!” Professor Kukui’s voice rang out across the beach as he ran towards them, Ash’s backpack bouncing in his arms. “Are you alright? Where even were you two? I’ve been searching for you-” he asked, scanning Ash over before staring at Pikachu’s new form.

“...Let’s just say, we were visiting an old friend!” Ash chuckled as Pikachu grunted, vaguely waving a hand. “Yeah, a really old friend.” Professor Kukui sighed, placing a hand on Ash’s head.

“What did I say about running off on your own?”

“Not to… I’m sorry.” Pikachu’s ears also wilted in guilt as Ash kicked at the sand.

Kukui took a step back, giving Ash his bag back. “I really don’t understand how Delia deals with you being such a… trouble magnet.” Ash ducked his head, and Kukui raised an eyebrow. “Ash, what happened? Who’s this friend? And why is Pikachu- actually, why does he look like you?”

“... Oh boy.” Ash and Pikachu exchanged a glance, both awkwardly giggling.

**Author's Note:**

> Ash and Pikachu might be too OOC, but that's because I don't know how to write "sibling" relations.  
This is just a little idea I thought of after I watched that one scene where Ash and Pikachu pretty much get frozen in time to have a chat while battling Tapu Koko. Because how could Greninja's bond with Ash compare with him and Pikachu's?


End file.
